I have been into Japanese visual novels (VNs) for quite a while now, years
before they began emerging on Steam. One title I quite enjoyed was Eden*, released early this year on the mainly gaming internet store. It follows the story
of a former elite soldier Ryou and his encounter with a genius researcher
called Sion, and explores the relationship between the two characters. (Note: Spoiler alert to anyone reading this).
As the setting goes, mankind faced a crisis following the revelation
that the world was about to be destroyed. To escape their fate, humanity undertook
a major project, constructing giant spaceships to migrate the entire population
into space, dubbed the Earth Evacuation Project. To that end, beings known as
Felixes were created. Felixes were fundamentally humans, but genetically
engineered to possess long life and exceptional intelligence. Due to their vital
role in realising humanity’s dreams to escape earth and hence their doom, Felixes
are highly regarded but literally confined to their respective tasks 24/7, like
a bird in a gilded cage. It is in this setting that the protragonist was
introduced and assigned to guard the primary research facility of the Felixes,
specifically the ace of Felixes Sion. A series of events led to the two
escaping from the research facility during the final stages of the project,
just before the last ships were to be launched into space, to live a
backcountry life on earth. The first half of the VN focused on Ryou’s time in
the research facility, while the latter portion centered on his relationship
with Sion after their escape.
Throughout the story, one theme which caught my attention was Sion’s outlook
on her death. As a Felix, from her moment of birth until death she was destined
to be locked in her research by her human overseers, never allowed to leave her
work to experience the outside world. Even when the flame of her life was to
reach its end, the government planned to dissect every part of her body for
examination, in order to manufacture new geniuses as her.
While Sion was satisfied of and did not regret the work she accomplished
for the sake of humanity, as all beings are deep down, she yearned to
experience what life has to offer beyond her research, as well as to be given
the freedom to pass from it with dignity. During the scene when she expressed those
thoughts, Mark 8:36 immediately floated to
mind:
“For what does it
profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?”
Sion who stood at the forefront of the Earth Evacuation Project was
regarded by many as the savior of the human race. However, the person herself was
literally caged by their feelings, denying her dreams to walk beyond the confines
of the research facility. Unrelated as it may seem, the verse and scenario had
me somehow contemplating on the Catholic moral question of Sion and Ryous’s deliberate
decision to remain on Earth and die.
When I first mulled over this, I felt it uncannily similar to the issue
of euthanasia. To dictate your death, and then to
walk to that end at your own volition. No matter how hopeless or definite the
case may seem, taking one’s own life or the life of others is a grave sin,
since God is the only one who has the right to decide the appropriate time to
take back a person. Those who choose to plunge down the path of euthanasia
basically hold that God has no power over life and death. In addition,
suffering is an essential mark of Christianity, a road that all must traverse
and endure as part of our pilgrimage here on earth.
For Sion, death was several paces from her doorstep, but Ryou, who
accompanied her and subsequently decided to stay by her side, was still fit
and keen with many years ahead of him; his decision to stay behind was
directly the result from Sion’s will that she remain on earth. Thus for Ryou,
is it not the same as throwing away your life for the sake of that one brief moment?
Taking the two issues separately and addressing the first case: should Sion
have boarded the ship and continue contributing to society, while shifting her sights
to search for her peace and contentment in space instead? After all, as they
say, “home is where the heart is.” The verse
that went through my mind was a verse I often find on Christian tombstones:
“I have fought the
good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there
is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
judge will award me on that Day…”
(2 Timothy 4:7-8)
As previously mentioned, Felixes were kept on a tight leash, and were
not allowed to participate in anything beyond the work they were assigned to. Humanly
speaking, how many would be able to endure a lifetime working every and all day
without personal time for oneself? To be monitored constantly around the clock seems
to me no different than living in a concentration camp. If they kept pushing
Sion at the final stages of her life on earth, it is almost certain they will
not relent even in space. Settling down under such circumstances would indeed
be quite a feat.
I believe there is a distinction between Sion’s choice and euthanasia.
For one, the former is a plan on where to die and what to do in the meantime,
while the latter is a plan on when to die and how to do it. The decision on how
to live your life before you go, versus the decision to put a stop to it the
quickest and painless way possible. A subtle, yet significant difference: one plans
to make most out of the precious life left, while the other resigns to the
thought that there is no hope or purpose left in living.
When a person has worked hard for a good cause, he/she deserves, even entitled
I say, to a good reprieve, more so if the road has been a long and difficult one.
There is no sin or shame indulging in some recreation or “me time” at the end
of the day after reaping a good harvest. The Sion at her final moments was
catching up on living – what it meant of being alive so to speak, a fundamental
right that was denied to her all her life. Living this freedom is in no way
wrong: it holds a major part in self-discovery and soul searching. I do not
believe for an instant that a person is born for the sole purpose of tilling
the land, and subsequently to be discarded (or in Sion’s case, further exploited)
once he/she reaches his/her limit to continue working the plough. By finding
oneself before the end of life, one will be able to find peace before passing on
to the next. That itself is the greatest fulfilment for the individual.
Coming to the protagonist Ryou who chose to stay behind to accompany
Sion, although at the prime of his life. In this one can make a firm argument
that he is throwing away his life for a few months of laidback living on earth.
On her part, Sion urged – even insisted – Ryou to board the last ship from
earth since he had a potentially long and bright future ahead of him, whilst
each passing day was potentially Sion’s last. To throw away a promising future
for one that is promised to end soon, is it not such a wasted opportunity?
Yet once in a while I find myself thinking of the saints that died at a
young age or at the prime of their life. During those times I sometimes think, ‘what a waste’ or ‘such a pity’; yet their deaths are what shaped the world – and the
faith as it is today. Then there are those who gave up successful careers,
wealth and comfort to pursue that which is close to their heart: helping their
home village, conservation of nature, charity, welfare… Pope Francis is a
representative for the many out there who carry out similar noble acts behind
the scenes. There are also countless others who, throughout the ages gave up a sparkling
future for the bitter frost of winter. St Paul left behind his privilege as a
Pharisee and a favourable Jewish rapport for a road of suffering and death. St Ambrose
forsook his wealthy lifestyle as governor of Milan when he was made to the
region’s bishop. St Thomas More was raised to Lord Chancellor by Henry
VIII, only to be executed by
the same person for the latter’s defiance against the Catholic teaching on
marriage and the Pope. Dolores Hart and Olalla Oliveros were once prominent individuals
in the entertainment industry before abandoning it all when they joined the
sisterhood.
Maybe, if these people chose instead to pursue high flying careers, they
would be able to utilize their material resources to financially aid a larger
number of less fortunate individuals. Maybe, if those monks and nuns leading secluded
and contemplative lifestyles decided on more active social careers, we would be
able to see more tangible results and wider media coverage.
Yet the ones who are truly able to reach out and touch the lives of
others are not those who donate their money; it is the people who donate their
time in sharing their lives with others. Inanimate material possessions, which
in itself are void of any feelings could never impress upon a person as much as
an individual’s presence from a sincere heart. And in the eyes of God, every
life is precious (Luke 12:6-7, 24; 15:1-7). For
the Father, it is not ‘choose one over the other’ or ‘weighing one’s worth on a
scale and acting on the greater good’ – but rather His Son, His All, for us
all. As often this verse is used, “For God so loved
the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).”
Sion chose to stay behind and experience her long deserved freedom and
life on earth, while Ryou chose to stay and spend their days together, short
though it may be. In doing so, he gradually regained a fragment of what is
meant by living life. Finding oneself and completing the lives those closest to
us, even for the sake of a single person, I believe is more worthwhile than attracting
the masses but losing yourself. To make the most out of a short life is greater
compared to living a long and empty one, which was likely Ryou’s fate had he
decided to leave earth and board a ship. Hence, we return again to Mark 8:36 as mentioned in the beginning.
There are quite a few messages I discovered when taking a moment to prod
deeper in my interests. Stories such as Eden*, while fictional address real
issues many people similarly go through. Even if such issues does not have any
direct bearing in my life, it gives me an opportunity to reflect on my values
and strengthen my conviction in what I believe in. The world will be a much brighter
place if we just but spare a moment to appreciate the beauty God offers in life.
RFG always.
